AIDSTAR-One Success Story: Strategy Development for Improving Safe Phlebotomy Practices in Nigeria

Phlebotomy, the process of drawing blood for testing, poses a risk of HIV transmission if unsafe procedures are followed. In Nigeria, phlebotomy has occurred in an atmosphere devoid of policies or guidelines for safe practices. A health facility assessment conducted in Nigeria in 2008 found many unsafe practices related to phlebotomy procedures among health care workers, as well as inadequate supply of safe phlebotomy devices. To address disease transmission during blood draws, the FMOH, in collaboration with the AIDSTAR-One project, worked to ensure the safety of phlebotomy practices in Nigeria's health facilities, along with safe injection practices and health care waste management. The AIDSTAR-One project provided key technical assistance in the development of a strategy for safe phlebotomy in health facilities. This included coordinating meetings with the FMOH and other experts from across six geopolitical regions to build consensus for the strategy. Dr. Mansur Kabir, Director of Public Health, FMOH, acknowledged the assistance of AIDSTAR-One in the strategy document, noting that the Ministry is indebted to AIDSTAR-One for providing invaluable technical support for this process. To facilitate the country-wide implementation of the safe phlebotomy strategy, AIDSTAR-One supported the Government of Nigeria in developing training materials based on the WHO Guidelines on Drawing Blood: Best Practices in Phlebotomy (2010). The training materials incorporated the new guidelines into existing training manuals on injection safety and safe health care waste management. AIDSTAR-One also trained Nigerian health care instructors to update their knowledge and skills before they began in-service training for health workers. The training program for health workers included safe phlebotomy practices, injection safety, and health care waste management. The training was conducted in targeted sites across Nigeria, with the goal of achieving safe working environments in the country's health facilities. The AIDSTAR-One project worked closely with the FMOH to develop and implement the safe phlebotomy strategy, which aimed to reduce the risk of HIV transmission during blood draws and improve overall health care practices in Nigeria.